Handle means for simultaneous operation of double-ended pliers



J. D. KEENAN April 1, 1952 HANDLE MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION OF DOUBLE ENDED PLIERS Filed Dec. 30, 1948 K lli! IN I 'ENTOR. JOSEPH D. KEENAN BY I ATT'YS Patented Apr. 1, 1952 HANDLE MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUS OP- ERATION OF DOUBLE-ENDED PLIERS Joseph D. Keenan, Chicago; Ill; Application December 30, 1948, Serial N 0. 68,175

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in small tools and more particularly to a new and improved tool in the form of double-ended pliers. I

Heretofore, in some assembly line operations, it was necessary for the operator to use two separate pairs of pliers, one pair being used for the purpose, for instance, of twisting two wires together, and the other pair being used to clip oil the excess wire after the joint is completed. This, as will be apparent, requires laying down one of the tools after it is used and picking up the other tool, thereby causing considerable lost motion. Furthermore, it was always necessary for the operator to make sure that two pairs of'pliers were available at all times in order to perform this operation. It was to overcome the foregoing inherent defect and to combine two separate tools in a single unitary tool that the present invention was devised. I

The main objects of this invention are to provide a new and improved small tool; to provide a tool of this character which comprises two pairs of pliers incorporated in a unitary structure, each pair being diametrically opposite the other and operable by a common handle; to provide a device of this character which contains means for retaining both of the pairs of pliers in open position when not in use and in which the free ends of the movable handles are enclosed in a common operating and protective member; and to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and is safe against injury to the users hands during operation.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a face elevational view of the device of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1, but the jaws of the device are, broken away.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line; 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the device of the present invention comprises a pair of long-nosed pliers generally indicated by the numeral I and a pair of cutting pliers which are generally indicated by the numeral 2. The longnosed pliers I comprise a pair of jaws 3 and 4 pivotally connected together in operative relationship by a pivot pin 5. The cutting pliers 2 comprise a pair of jaws 6 and 1, pivotally connected together in operative relationship by a pivot pin 8. An arcuately formed stationary handle member 9 is integrally connected in the usual manner to the jaw 3 at one end and to the jaw 6 at the other end whereby it will be apparent that the handle 9 is common to both jaws 3 and 6.

The jaw 4 is provided with an integrally formed short stub-like handle member I0 and the jaw I is also provided with a similar integrally formed short stub-like handle member II. A short tubular member I2 connects the free ends of two handle members I0 and I I together in the following manner. The free end of the handle member H3 is undercut as at I3 and inserted into one end of the tube I2, whereby the lower portion of the rear edge of the tube I2 abuts against the shoulder I3 of the undercut portion I3. The tube 12 and the handle member ID are connected together by means of a pivot pin I4.

The free end of the handle member I I contains a reduced portion I5 which is adapted to be inserted in the other end of tube I2, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The handle member I0is provided with a short stub I 6 whereon one end of a compression spring IT is adapted to seat, The handle portion 9 contains a similar stub I8, positioned substantially opposite the stub I6 and on which the other end of the spring I1 is arranged to seat. Identical, similar stubs I 9, spring 20 and stub 2I are positioned on and between the handle member II and the stationary handle 9 as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

It will be apparent that the springs I1 and 20 will urge the handle members outwardly at all times, thereby causing the jaws 31-4 and B-I to open about their pivots 5 and 6 respectively. and normally remain in this position except when the tube I2 is manually urged toward the handle 9. When such action takes place it will be readily seen in Fig. 2 that free end of the handle member I I will freely slide within the interior of tube I2 in telescoping fashion. A particular feature of this invention resides in the arrangement whereby the sleeve or tube I2 comprises a common operating means for the short handles I0 and II of the pliers and at the same time provides a protective enclosure for the ends of the short handles whereby the possibility of the users hands becoming pinched or otherwise injured during use of the tool is completely obviated.

It should be apparent that the device of this invention may be put to untold uses to reduce the lost motion now prevalent when two independent pairs of pliers are needed by an operator to perform a single task, as well as to provide a single tool in place of the usual two tools.

It is to be understood that some of th details of the foregoing invention may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the present invention as defined by th following claims.

I claim:

A device of the class described comprising two pairs of clamping jaws, a stationary handle element integrally connecting together corresponding jaws of said two pairs of jaws, a second handle element comprising two sections having corresponding end portions integrally connected with the other jaw elements of said two pairs of jaws, the free end portions of said handle' sections being spaced apart, a tubular member telescoped over and enclosing the free ends of said handle 4 sections, and means securing one of said handle sections to said tubular member, whereby said handle sections operate in unison when pressure on said tubular member is exerted toward said stationary handle element.

. JOSEPH D. KEENAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,511,341) Jackson Oct. 14, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number h Country Date 42,575 Switzerland July 16, 1908 

